File image of the Kisumu International Airport
Passengers at Kisumu International Airport were left stranded for hours on Sunday after flights to Nairobi and Mombasa were delayed, disrupting travel plans and leaving travellers uncertain about when they would depart.
Several passengers said they arrived at the airport expecting to board their scheduled flights, only to be informed at check-in that their flights had been delayed, with no clear communication on when they would depart.
In a customer update issued earlier on Sunday, the national carrier apologised to passengers affected by the delays and said it was working with aviation authorities and other airport stakeholders to minimise disruption.
“We are currently experiencing delays of 2-3 hours for departures out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) due to ongoing air traffic control challenges,” Kenya Airways said.
The airline said the safety of its crew and passengers remained its highest priority and advised affected customers to contact its Customer Excellence team for assistance.
"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this situation has caused to travel plans. Our teams are working with the aviation authorities and relevant airport stakeholders to ensure safe operations and minimise the inconvenience and disruption to our customers' travels," KQ said.
“As this is a developing situation, we will keep you updated as soon as we have new developments,” the airline said.
Fred Ochieng, a farmer from Migori County, said he learnt about the disruptions only after arriving at the airport to check in for his flight.
Ochieng, who was booked on a Jambojet flight to Mombasa scheduled to depart at 1pm, said a customer care officer informed him that flights at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Moi International Airport in Mombasa were also experiencing delays.
“We've been here since 11:30am with no further communication from our respective flights. I was meant to depart at 1pm to Mombasa, and, as things stand, I am not sure if we will leave Kisumu any time soon,” he said.
He said the delay had forced him to reconsider his work schedule in Mombasa, where he was expected to begin work at 4pm.
“I have been inconvenienced, and I have to reschedule my work plans that were to commence at 4pm this evening,” Ochieng said.
The delays also affected passengers booked on Kenya Airways flights, with some saying they had been left without adequate information about the status of their flights.
Vera Ogolla, a traveller who arrived at Kisumu International Airport at about 11am, said she was scheduled to board a Kenya Airways flight at 12.30pm but was not given a definite departure time.
“We were to board at 12.30pm, only to be told at the check-in counter that they don't know what time the flight will come,” Ogolla said.
She said she had a function in Nairobi in the afternoon and was concerned that the delay would make her miss the engagement.
“This is a huge inconvenience because most people are going to work, especially with tomorrow being a Monday,” she said.
Ogolla said passengers had resorted to monitoring flight-tracking platforms in an attempt to establish the whereabouts of their aircraft.
“We have been following on the flight radar, and we are not seeing anything,” she said.
Another traveller questioned why airlines had not notified passengers in advance if they were already aware of disruptions affecting flights.
The traveller said early communication would have allowed passengers to adjust their schedules, avoid unnecessary trips to the airport or make alternative travel arrangements.
Passengers said the lack of information had compounded the inconvenience, with many forced to remain at the airport without knowing how long they would have to wait.
The disruption comes as travellers prepare for increased movement at the end of the weekend, with many passengers expected to travel to Nairobi and other destinations ahead of the new working week.
For passengers whose journeys were time-sensitive, the delays threatened to disrupt business meetings, work assignments and other engagements scheduled for Sunday.
The travellers called for better communication between airlines, airport authorities and passengers whenever operational disruptions occur.
They said airlines should promptly alert passengers about delays instead of waiting until they arrive at the airport and check in.
The passengers also urged authorities to address the cause of the disruption to prevent similar incidents from affecting travellers in future.
